Revised WIC Program Supports Three Servings of Dairy a Day

For the first time in more than 25 years, the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) revised the dairy guidelines for its Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants and Children (WIC) food packages to align with recommendations in the 2005 Dietary Guidelines for Americans (DGA).

The USDA WIC program is a supplemental feeding program that provides nutritious foods, nutrition counseling and referrals to health and other social services for low-income, pregnant, postpartum, and breastfeeding women, infants and children up to age five.

In order to accommodate additional foods without increasing total program costs, the new food packages reduce the maximum amounts of several foods, including dairy. However, the new WIC food packages continue to support the important role of nutrient-rich dairy foods as part of a healthy, balanced diet, providing three daily servings for most women in the program and two daily servings for children under age five, which is consistent with recommendations made for these groups in the DGA. Previously, the WIC program allowed up to four servings of milk and milk products per day.

Dairy producers, through their investment in the National Dairy Council® (NDC) - the nutrition education and research arm of the dairy checkoff program - continue efforts to educate local and state WIC offices about the health benefits of consuming nutrient-rich dairy. Dairy council registered dietitians and communicators share the health benefits of dairy, the need for people to consume 3 servings of dairy a day, and ways those who are lactose intolerant can incorporate dairy in their diets.

"Dairy foods supply a unique package of nutrients - including calcium, potassium and magnesium - which are lacking in the diets of many Americans, including WIC participants," said Ann Marie Krautheim, a registered dietitian and senior vice president of nutrition and scientific affairs for NDC. "We will continue to share our science-based research that supports an increase in dairy options to help WIC participants better meet their dietary needs." (continued . . .)